Pollution

Selina Concise Biology Class 10 ICSE Solutions Pollution- A Rising Environmental Problems

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Selina Concise Biology Class 10 ICSE Solutions Pollution- A Rising Environmental Problems

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for Selina Concise ICSE Solutions for Class 10 Biology Chapter 15 Pollution A Rising Environmental Problems. You can download the Selina Concise Biology ICSE Solutions for Class 10 with Free PDF download option. Selina Publishers Concise Biology for Class 10 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

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Selina ICSE Solutions for Class 10 Biology Chapter 15 Pollution – A Rising Environmental Problems

Exercise 1

Solution A.1.
(d) The dust raised during road-cleaning

Solution A.2.
(b) Disposing of corpses in rivers

Solution A.3.
(b) Ozone

Solution B.1.
(i) SO2
(ii) Bromochlorodifluoromethane and chlorofluoromethane
(iii) Mercury

Solution B.2.

Column I

Column II (Answers)
(i) Chlorofluocarbons (CFCs)

(ii) Flyash

(iii) Cow dung

(iv) CO2 and methane

(v) Sulphur dioxide

(vi) Iodine – 131

(f) Ozone depletion

(e) Industrial Waste

(b) Biodegradable

(a) Global Warming

(d) Acid Rain

(c) Nuclear Radiation Pollutant

Solution B.3.
(i) vehicular air
(ii) X-ray
(iii) hot
(iv) domestic activities

Solution C.1.

(i) Rivers contaminated with sewage:

  • A number of waterborne diseases are produced by the pathogens present in polluted water, affecting humans as well as animals.
  • The flora and fauna of rivers, sea and oceans is adversely affected.

(ii) Too much gaseous exhausts containing CO2 and SO2:

  • The high concentration of CO2 in atmosphere has been the main component of the green house effect that has caused global warming i.e. the rise of atmospheric temperature in recent years. Global warming causes melting of snow caps rise in sea levels.
  • SO2 is poisonous and irritates the respiratory system of animals and humans. A continuous exposure to SO2 has been reported to damage the lungs and increase the rate of mortality.
  • SO2 is also responsible for acid rain

(iii) Pesticides such as DDT used in agriculture:

  • Pesticides kill soil microbes which are responsible to recycle the nutrients in the soil.
  • Pesticides can enter the food chain and affect the health of humans as well as animals. It can cause damage to the lungs and central nervous system, failures of reproductive organs and dysfunctions of the immune system, endocrine system, and exocrine system, as well as potential cancer risks and birth defects.

(iv) Prolonged noise such as the one produced by crackers throughout night:

  • Prolonged exposure to the high decibel noise damages ear drums and can bring permanent hearing impairment.
  • Noise pollution can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension), constant headache, lack of concentration.

Solution C.2.
Three major constituents of sewage:

  1. Kitchen wastes
  2. Sanitary waste
  3. Waste from agricultural lands

Solution C.3.

  • The common sources of oil spills are: The overturned oil tankers, offshore oil mining and Oil Refineries.
  • The sea birds and sea animals sometimes get thick, greasy coating on their bodies due to oil spills.
  • Sea birds may ingest their oil coated. This may irritate their digestive system, may damage liver and kidney.
  • Oil spills lead to the death of sea birds as well as sea animals.

Solution C.4.
Measures to minimise noise pollution:

  1. Use of loud speakers should be banned.
  2. Airports should be located away from the residential area.

Solution D.1.

  1. Industrial Waste:
    Large number of industries produces waste water which contains various types of chemical pollutants. Such wastes are commonly discharged into the rivers. These chemicals cause irritation to the body systems of fish.
  2. Thermal Pollution:
    Many industries such as thermal power plants, oil refineries, nuclear plants use water for cooling their machinery. This hot waste water may be 8-10oC warmer than the intake water. This hot water is released into the nearby streams, rivers or the sea and causes warming. The sudden fluctuation in the temperature of water kills the fishes and harms the plant life growing in it.

Solution D.2.
(i) Noise Pollution
(ii) Industrial machines, workshops, trains, loud conversation, loudspeakers, etc.
(iii) Effects of noise pollution:

  1. It lowers efficiency of work.
  2. It disturbs sleep and leads to nervous irritability.

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What are the Main Sources of Air Pollution

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Main Sources of Air Pollution

The air around us is a mixture of many gases and dust particles. The percentages of the various gases present in air are

  • Nitrogen (78.08%)
  • Oxygen (20.95%)
  • Other gases (0.97%)

Natural processes and, to a larger extent, human activities, are responsible for the release of various chemicals into the air. The presence of chemicals in the air in quantities harmful to human health and the environment is known as air pollution. Common air pollutants and their main sources are discussed below.

An undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of the air making it harmful for the living organisms (including man) is termed air pollution. The addition of substances in the environment in quantities that are harmful to living beings is called pollution. Air is getting polluted day by day because of various human activities. Burning of fuels like coal and petroleum, excessive burning of fuels like wood, smoke and harmful gases released from industries, smoke released by vehicles and machines releasing gases are the major causes of air pollution. These gases spread and mix in the air and spoil the quality of air, thereby making it impure.

Common pollutants of air are particulate matter and gaseous pollutants.

  • Particulate matter is also called suspended particulate matter (SPM) because it remains suspended in air for a reasonable period of time. Common examples of SPM are dust, soot (unburnt, carbon, particles), smoke, flyash etc. Particulate matter consists of tiny particles suspended in air. Volcanic eruptions, dust storms, burning of fossil fuels in thermal plants, and forest fires are some-of the natural sources of particulate matter. It is also present in the exhaust fumes of automobiles and power plants as soot, flyash, and lead particles.

What are the Main Sources of Air Pollution 1

  • Gaseous pollutants include carbon monoxide, excess of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrogen sulphide, methane and ammonia. Besides, asbestos dust, stone dust, cement dust, pollen grains of plants, radioactive rays etc. are other common air pollutants. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or freons are commonly used as coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners and as propellants in aerosol spray cans. CFCs are also used in home insulation, plastic foam, and throwaway metallic cans. Burning of fossil fuels like coal and petroleum in thermal power plants and automobiles releases oxides of sulphur and nitrogen into the air. Burning of carbon-rich fuels like firewood, coal, and petroleum releases carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.

What are the Main Sources of Air Pollution 2

What Are The Effects Of Water Pollution

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Effects Of Water Pollution

Harmful effects of water pollution on living beings are as follows:

  • Industrial wastes discharged into the waters contain a lot of toxic substances that make water unfit for drinking and bathing.
  • Untreated domestic sewage, when released into water bodies, becomes a breeding ground for a number of organisms that cause water-borne diseases.
  • Oil spills are very harmful to aquatic animals and lead to the destruction of marine life. Moreover, the cleaning up process also causes a lot of damage to marine habitats.
  • Pollution of water also leads to a reduction in the number of aquatic plants and animals due to the destruction of habitat and nesting places.
  • The wastewater released by factories and industries and the fertilizer-rich runoffs from agricultural fields are rich in organic matter. The process of washing away of fertilizers into water bodies is called leaching. The entry of nutrient-rich water results in a thick growth of algae, called algal bloom, and many other weeds. Soon these plants cover the entire surface of the water. This is called eutrophication. The algae use up so much oxygen that the aquatic animals and other plants die due to lack of it.
  • Ignition of arms and weapons releases large amounts of mercury. When water contaminated with mercury is used for drinking by animals and human beings, it causes numbness of limbs, lips, and tongue. It can also lead to blurred vision and mental disorders.

    What Are The Effects Of Water Pollution 1
    Diagrammatic representation of eutrophication

Prevention of Water Pollution

The following are some of the steps that could be taken to prevent water pollution.

  • Bathing and washing clothes near water bodies like lakes, ponds, and rivers should be avoided.
  • Domestic and industrial sewage wastes should be treated to remove toxic substances before being released into water bodies.
  • Pollution-control rules enforced by the government should be followed strictly.
  • The use of eco-friendly fertilizers and herbicides should be encouraged.